• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Parkinson’s wheat harvest tour leads to Beloit farm family By Bill Spiegel ranged from 23 to 73 bu- farmers to the field later in Throughout Kansas, com- shels per acre. We’re think- the morning and quitting bines are rolling through ing the majority of our fields earlier in the evening. golden fields of wheat, har- will be in the 35-50 bushel Meanwhile, thousands of vesting the grains that a hun- per acre range,” Mark says. acres of wheat have already gry and growing world will In this day and age, 35 been destroyed by hail- consume in the form of bushels per acre will hardly storms, flooding or high breads, rolls and tortillas. As be enough. The cost of in- winds. For a farmer to get one of the state’s major in- gredients needed to grow a paid, he or she needs to get dustries, agriculture — and wheat crop are expensive, combines into the field and wheat in particular — is a and the price farmers re- to get the wheat harvested as major cog in the Kansas ceive for their grain has fall- quickly as possible. economy. Kansas Governor en from a record high $12 “Obviously, we need the Mark Parkinson knows this per bushel in 2007, to $3.70 weather to straighten out better than most. As a in Beloit on June 23. “If our and get after it so we can get youngster, his summers wheat isn’t 50 bushels to the it cut,” Mark Hewitt says. were spent on his grandpar- acre or better we are dis- Governor Parkinson ent’s farm near Scott City, appointed typically. We’re agrees. Agricultural com- helping his family bring in too early into right now to modities have been one of the crop. With a strong her- it to really know whether the few bright spots in the itage of wheat production in we should be happy or state’s economy. A prosper- his blood, Parkinson’s annu- whether we’re going to be ous wheat harvest is not only al tour to Kansas wheat saddened by the outcome a boon to farmers and area fields during harvest, then, is,” he adds. communities; it plays a key is an opportunity to connect Further complicating role in easing the state’s with some of the state’s top matters is this harvest sea- budget stress. wheat producers. son’s fickle weather. Wide- “Wheat production is ex- spread showers have slowed tremely important to the Parkinson visited the Rain showers Sunday night prevented harvest action on Monday afternoon. Mark farm of Mark and Bob He- harvest progress in many state, for a number of rea- witt near Beloit on June 21. Hewitt and his daughter, Caleigh, showed Gov. Parkinson how to "hand-thresh" the areas of the state, and high sons. It’s our number one Rain showers the previous wheat to see if it is ready to harvest. humidity levels are forcing product,” Parkinson says. night kept the Hewitts from harvesting during the Gov- ernor’s visit, but he was able to learn more about the He- witt’s family operation, meet members of the family and walk through the wheat fields with Mark Hewitt, the fourth generation of his family to farm in Mitchell County. The Hewitts’ fleet of har- vest machines features three combines, two grain carts with tractors and semi- trucks to haul grain into town. It takes 10 days for Mark, his uncle, Bob and a support staff of five to com- plete the harvest of about 2,500 acres. Members of the Hewitt Family, Beloit, met with Gov. Mark Parkinson and Ag Secretary Josh Svaty during harvest near Beloit on June 21. This year, rain has taken its toll on harvest progress, grain quality and yields. “I Bob Hewitt, Mark's uncle, has participated in 74 wheat A family photo with Gov. Parkinson and Secretary of Ag Josh Svaty (second from think yesterday my yield harvests. At age 80, Bob "still works just as hard as an left), includes: Cade, Caleigh, Conner, Marne and Mark Hewitt; Charlene Hewitt- monitor in my combine 18-year-old," according to his nephew. Yager and Bob Hewitt. Water, water everywhere Grass & Grain will be closed Monday, July 5 in observance of the Independence Day holiday. DEADLINE FOR ALL ADVERTISING FOR THE JULY 6 ISSUE WILL BE It was difficult this week to determine where the Big Blue just north of Blue Rapids stopped and farmground started as the river ran out of its banks after the recent FRIDAY, JULY 2 storms pounded northern Kansas. Page 2 Grass & Grain, June 29, 2010 Guest Editorial By Jody Donohue that go into getting a crop in The husband of a friend the ground. They don’t see is unhappy at work. all the different things that He’s reading the want can drain profit from the ads, talking to headhunters, food that we produce. They reaching out to friends and don’t understand that the colleagues. All the usual annual vacation is often a things one does when trip to the state fair. And he searching for a new job. He has no idea of the real over- and his wife took a drive head it takes to get started last week and when they even on a small scale. reached the country, he had Working in Kansas City, I an epiphany. often cross paths with peo- Maybe he should take up ple who tell me they’re en- farming. vious of country life I get to How hard could it really enjoy. Until today, I’ve be? never stopped to think How much stress could about what they picture farmers have? Cows don’t when they envision my life talk back. How hard could it out of the city. I think they be to grow a row crop? It’s picture the wide open just like growing tomatoes spaces, a little red barn, a in the back yard. Caring for horse, and not much else. pets is just like taking care It seems absurd to us of livestock isn’t it? that anyone would think You just need a tractor, our lifestyle or profession get some land and go to is easy, but they do. This is work. Isn’t it that simple? part of why our industry is My friend has heard me under attack right now. tell many stories about life Farming isn’t considered a on the farm. She knows it’s profession by many outside not that simple. of our ranks. We had a good laugh pic- We don’t talk about the turing her husband — a guy need to be part veterinari- who is exhausted after an, meteorologist, entomol- mowing his lawn and who ogist, mechanic and calls someone every time a chemist just to do what we repair is needed around the do every day. We can’t ever house — trying to keep ma- minimize the expertise that chinery running, weeds it takes to manage a farm or sprayed and fence fixed. ranch. He’s an actuary and man- Lots of people think you The first step in ages lots of projects in mul- can farm with no education, tiple cities. I have no doubt no training, no experience. the acquisition of that he puts in as many Why is that? The Learning Post hours as a farmer does on a Millions of people have wisdom is silence, daily basis. And I’m sure no knowledge of the art and By Gordon Morrison the second listen- his co-workers cause a little the science that is food pro- more stress than the cows duction. Most of America Concordia Rancher and ing, the third mem- and pigs do on the farm. has forgotten why people Former Agriculture Educator But working long hours moved off of the farm in ory, the fourth and managing stressful sit- favor of jobs in the city. uations, are the only things They want to move to a sim- practice, the fifth we could come up that qual- ple life in the country. They teaching others. ify him for life on the farm. have no clue that it isn’t His decision to consider that simple. The Village Blacksmith Solomon Ibn a farm career got me think- Donohue and her husband ing how many of our city ranch near Fredonia. More When putting up the first cutting to him to repair by using the cutting Gabriol cousins must think this way. information is available at of hay this year, the hitch on the torch, welder, forge, or whatever is They don’t see the hours www.agropinion.com. baler broke with seventeen more appropriate. I knew Hans would be acres left to bale. One of the two big the best guy to fix my hitch if he channel irons that come to a V- would do it. When I called him on shape to form the hitch broke, caus- the phone, he told me to bring it in ing the other channel iron to bend and he would look at it. After he ex- into a mangled mess. I wondered amined it, I heaved a sigh of relief who could repair it so we could get it when he said, “Unload it.” The next going again. day he had it ready to go back onto Then I thought of the machine the baler. It fit perfectly and was re- shop at Scandia, where I had taken inforced so that it should last forev- some repair jobs a few years back er.

Load more

  12

Copy Link